Sport
10 May, 2021
Wattles Top Graders Share League Honours
Three Wattles Warriors players and two coaching staff were members of the Toowoomba Clydesdales open side that won the historic 47th Battalion Trophy undefeated over the weekend in Bundaberg.
While Wattles were not represented in the open women’s Mustangs, those in Clydesdales colours included team coach Luke Duggan and co-coach Louis Reen, along with players Dale Perkins, Ty Gardner and 20-year-old Matt Christensen making his senior representative debut.
The Toowoomba region left no doubt in the minds of rugby league connoisseurs across the Queensland Rugby League’s Central Division that the Toowoomba Clydesdales and the South West Mustangs Open Women were the benchmark at the weekend’s 47th Battalion Divisional Championship with both sides fi nishing the prestigious annual event undefeated Champions.
It was a historic performance for the South West Mustangs women successful in winning the tournament for the first time, in the initial year of an open women’s competition in the league stronghold of Toowoomba.
The Toowoomba Clydesdales outfi t overwhelmed Wide Bay in their first game 34-8, before outlasting the Rockhampton Rustlers 24-20 in a nail biter. Sunday’s final went down to the wire with the Clydesdales emerging 20-16 winners over the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Highfields’s half Cory McGrady won player of the final honours, while Goondiwindi flying winger David Armstrong was named Player of the Carnival. Wattles top graders Matt Duggan, Jackson Green and Joe Mu’a were also named in the originally selected Clydesdales side but withdrew due to injury or work circumstances.
QRL CENTRAL DIVISION 47TH BATTALION OPEN MENS CHAMPIONS - Toowoomba Clydesdales: David ARMSTRONG (Goondiwindi), Nick BAINBRIDGE, Hnaloan BUDDEN, Dylan CHOWN, Matt CHRISTENSEN (Wattles), Chris DONN (Warwick), Dwayne DUNCAN, Ty GARDNER (Wattles), Shannon HICKS, Drew JACKSON, Xavier MANLEY, Blake MARA, Cory MCGRADY, Coner NOLAN, Dale PERKINS (Wattles), Ben SULLIVAN (Warwick), Dylan TAYLOR, James TUTUILA, Mitch WATSON (Warwick). Coaching Staff: Luke DUGGAN (Wattles), Louis REEN (Wattles). - Glyn Rees
